How Individual Hotels Can Win in EU Search

Our research on hotel searches in Europe, revealed that Booking.com dominated user clicks, especially through ads, while Google's Hotel Finder and Business Profiles saw significantly fewer interactions. One surprising discovery was the prominent role of ads, with over 50% of mobile clicks going to ads, particularly Booking.com.
We explore how Google’s algorithm and ad strategies favor aggregators like Booking, rather than individual hotel brands, who do however have an ad opportunity with the new(ish) carousel ad and the Google Business Profiles for visibility. While Booking.com often dominates ad spots, the landing pages sometimes confuse users by showing lists of hotels instead of the specific property clicked from within the Google Hotel Finder.
The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
Ep 176 Near Memo 01